Taking Whistler to the next level

New and exciting ways to make it to the top — and bottom — at B.C.’s mega-resort

New Yorker Lee Abbamonte checks out the view - and some text messages - at the peak of Whistler Mountain. Gord Scott/PNG

There are more ways to get high during a Whistler Blackcomb summer/fall vacation these days.

A village stroll remains the most popular activity at the B.C. mega-resort during the warm seasons, but things have been looking up over the last few years. Downhill mountain bikers and alpine meadow hikers are making more use of Whistler’s extensive lift system; and the addition of the Peak 2 Peak gondola has turned mountain-hopping into entertainment for the masses.

There are alternatives to alter your altitude attitude in Whistler, however; and the brief itinerary below outlines new ways to peak your adrenalin:

Sea to Sky Gondola

It’s fresh, it’s a quick, convenient stop on the most scenic stretch of Highway 99, and it’s a 10-minute ride to your first lofty view.

Spanking new glass cubicles smoothly transport you 885 metres above sea level with the imposing Stawamus Chief looming over you on your left. Up top, there are hiking trails both mild and wild, a nifty new lodge, a suspension bridge and observation deck — the perfect place for a burger and beer while Howe Sound sparkles below you (sunshine is optional).

The best analogy might be the Grouse Mountain Skyride, with Coast Mountain and sea views in place of Metro Vancouver. There are obviously big plans for this place, and both Grouse and Whistler Blackcomb must be dreaming up new ways to compete.

The gondola is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. (9 p.m. on weekends) through Oct. 26, and day tickets cost about $35 for adults, kids under six are free. www.seatoskygondola.com

Four Seasons Resort Whistler

Far enough — but not too far — from the madding crowds, this “rustic modern” property lays at the end of the Upper Village trail. While earthly delights in the villages — restaurants, bars, shops and lots of potential new friends — are a short walk away, the Four Seasons retains the sensibility of a calm, self-contained resort. The patio Fifty Two 80 Eatery + Bar is a great place to imbibe, engage and watch the kids make mincemeat of the putting green, while the surrounding greenery and local musicians soothe your travel nerves (www.fourseasons/whistler). Make the most of all this relaxation, because you’re not going find any of that at the …

Whistler Sliding Centre

Get acquainted with gravity — and three very close, as in snuggled, teammates — with an exhilarating “Rolling Thunder” bobsleigh plunge down the track Olympic athletes know as the fastest in the world. A complete safety briefing (and waiver signing) amp up the excitement, the helmet is fitted and the long walk up the hill begins. About two thirds up the course, you encounter the red bullet you’ll be riding to the bottom. The cheerful staff has reminded you that you can back out at any time, but you won’t have any of that.

The rubber-tired sleds hold three paying passengers and a professional jockey — Matt Barlow, originally from England, starting piloting the contraptions last year, and says riders are always “pretty stoked” at the end of the run.

“The nervous ones have the most smiles at the end,” Barlow says, as their excitement replaces fear.

The bobsleigh will be doing 90 kilometres an hour by the time it crosses the finish line in less than a minute. A well-edited video of your plunge is available at the end for $30, and it’s pretty much required - you were much too busy to take it all in on the way down.

Rolling Thunder costs $89 per person plus tax, and you must be 14 or older to ride. It runs through Sept. 1, but you can get more speed (up to 125 km/h) at more cost ($169 plus tax) as the opertion continues on ice during the winter. For details, visit www.whistlerslidingcentre.wordpress.com

Now that you know how to get down really quickly, it’s time to learn how to scale to the top at the …

Via Ferrata

Originally developed to move troops around Italy’s Dolomite mountain region during the First World War, these “Iron Roads” at the top of the world now exist around the globe to thrill and scare the vertically curious.

Whistler’s version is not extreme on the world scale, but is still an exciting and educational way to scramble to the very peak of Whistler Mountain.

Lead summer guide Josh Majorossy, 24, first leads his charges past the “no hiking” sign up the scree to the base of a small ice pack. After being asked if anyone’s nervous (one slight admission), the group dons crampons and gets roped together for a quick ascent to a series of ladders. There is a network of wires fastened to the rock from here to the top — 2,181 metres above sea level, baby.

Progress up the ladders and then on a series of rebar “rungs” sunk into the rock face is accomplished by constantly clipping and re-clipping two carabiners (or latches) over the wire runs, and hoofing it up the rungs. The carabiners are attached to the harness all climbers wear (helmets are also mandatory).

Majorossy admits that a few of the 200 climbers he’s guided have succumbed to “complete shakes and panic breathing,” but proudly declares he’s never had to lower anyone or perform any rescues.

“I’ve never had to turn around.”

A graduate of Capilano University’s wilderness leadership program, Majorossy says all most climbers need is “an average level of fitness and a little coaching.”

“The best part of this is to see the ones who are really scared conquer their fears,” he says. “It’s not a technically hard game — it’s a mental game.”

The sheer rock face becomes an intricate chess board as the climb continues, and many on the Iron Road start to seek out finger and toe holds in place of the rungs — the cable/harness system gives complete confidence — while even the skeptical can start to see the appeal of rock climbing.

The surprise you give “softer” tourists (who rode a chairlift to the peak) as your helmet pops over the viewpoint brink is a bonus.

Time to get grounded, with some excellent locally sourced cuisine and fine B.C. wine. Araxi has been around about as long as there’s been a Whistler Village, and it still has the best patio for watching valley dwellers mill about the square.

When they’re not whipping up “long table” feasts for hundreds in some farmer’s field in nearby Pemberton, they’re dishing out stunning special creations like their seafood tower — pure shellfish show biz.

Wine director Samantha Rahn won the Vancouver International Wine Festival’s 2013 Sommelier of the Year Award, and ensures the pairings are medal-worthy. www.araxi.com

Now it’s time now to slide down the Sea to Sky Highway, smug in the knowledge that you’ve been to “the top of the world, ma.”

Hey; all those little figures dangling off the Stawamus Chief suddenly don’t look so crazy.

The writer travelled courtesy of Destination British Columbia, which did not review this article.

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